Stackable and combinable rack

ABSTRACT

A stackable and combinable rack is composed of a plurality of U-shaped struts. Each of the struts includes two U-shaped bars spaced from each other, and two connecting bars connected between two respective adjacent ends of the U-shaped bars. Each of the two U-shaped bars has a bottom section and two lateral sections extending from two ends of the bottom section respectively. The U-shaped struts are arranged in at least two pairs. In each pair of the struts, the bottom bars of one strut are adjacent to those of the other strut. The at least two pairs of the struts are vertically arranged. The bottom bars of one pair of the struts cross those of the other pair of the struts. One pair of the struts is located outside the other pair of the struts. In light of this, a plurality of receiving spaces are formed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to racks, and more particularly, to a stackable and combinable rack capable of being stacked upon the other and/or combined with the other side by side.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional wine rack, as disclosed in Taiwan Patent Publication No. M260164, is formed of a multi-curved metal bar, having a plurality of arched spaces formed at the upper side thereof for receiving wine bottles, a bottom connecting bar formed at the lower side of two ends thereof, and combinative portions formed at the upper side of the two ends thereof for inserting the bottom connecting bar of another wine rack for stackable combination with each other.

However, the above-mentioned wine rack has to be placed in a predetermined orientation; that is, the two bottom connecting bars have to be correctly placed on the plane. Further, the conventional wine racks fail to be combined side by side and have many bended portions to increase the production cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a stackable and combinable rack which can be stacked upon the other and combined with the other side by side.

The secondary objective of the present invention is to provide a stackable and combinable rack which is structurally simple for easy production.

The foregoing objectives of the present invention are attained by the stackable and combinable rack composed of a plurality of U-shaped struts. Each of the struts includes two U-shaped bars spaced from each other, and two connecting bars connected between two respective adjacent ends of the U-shaped bars. Each of the two U-shaped bars has a bottom section and two lateral sections extending from two ends of the bottom section respectively. The U-shaped struts are arranged in at least two pairs. In each pair of the struts, the bottom bars of one strut are adjacent to those of the other strut. The at least two pairs of the struts are vertically arranged. The bottom bars of one pair of the struts cross those of the other pair of the struts. One pair of the struts is located outside the other pair of the struts. In light of this, a plurality of receiving spaces are formed among the crossed struts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention, illustrating two racks are stacked upon each other.

FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the present invention, illustrating two racks are combined with each other side by side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The stackable and combinable rack of the present invention is composed of a plurality of U-shaped struts.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a stackable and combinable rack 10 constructed according to a first preferred embodiment is composed of four U-shaped struts 11. Each of the struts 11 includes two U-shaped bars 12 spaced from each other for a predetermined interval, and two connecting bars 123 each connected between two adjacent ends of the two U-shaped bars 12 respectively. Each of the U-shaped bars 12 has a bottom section 121 and two lateral sections 122 extending from two ends of the bottom section 121 respectively. The four struts 11 are arranged in two pairs. In each pair of the struts 11, the bottom sections 121 of one of the two struts 11 are adjacent to those of the other strut 11.

In the above-mentioned two pairs of the U-shaped struts 11, the first pair of the struts 11A and the second pair of the struts 11B are vertically arranged, wherein the bottom sections 121 of the first pair of the struts 11A are horizontally located. The bottom sections 121 of the first pair of the struts 11A cross those of the second pair of the struts 11B, located outside those of the second pair of the struts 11B. There are a plurality of receiving spaces 14, each of which is defined by the lateral section 122 and a part of the bottom section 121 of one U-shaped bar 11 and those of another U-shaped bar 11.

Further, each of the U-shaped struts 11 further includes two respective hook-shaped portions 125, each of which is formed of the connecting bar 123 and the two lateral sections 122 bending toward each other for a predetermined length.

In light of the above structure, as shown in FIG. 1, four receiving spaces 14 are formed and defined by the four U-shaped struts 11. The two connecting bars 123 of one of the struts 11 are provided as feet for standing the rack 10.

Referring to FIG. 4, a stackable and combinable rack 10′ constructed according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention is similar to the first embodiment but different by that the bottom bars 121′ of the second pair of the U-shaped struts 11B′ are located outside those of the first pair of struts 11A′. Since the other technical features of the rack 10′ of the second embodiment is the same as those of the rack 10 of the first embodiment, no more detailed description is necessary.

As a matter of fact, the second embodiment is the first embodiment rotated along an imaginary axis Y (FIG. 1) for 90 degrees. In other words, after the rack 10 shown in FIG. 1 is rotated clockwise along the imaginary axis Y for 90 degrees, it becomes the rack 10′ shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 5, the rack 10 and the rack 10′ can be stacked upon each other and stably connected by that the hook-shaped portions 125 and 125′ hook each other.

In addition, the present invention can be not only stacked upon the other but also combined with the other side by side, as show in FIG. 6.

In light of the above, the present invention includes the following advantages.

-   -   1. The hook-shaped portions can enable the rack of the present         invention to be stacked upon the other and combined with the         other side by side and a user can combine a plurality of the         racks of the present invention to make a larger rack.     -   2. Since the rack of the present invention is composed of a         plurality of the U-shaped struts, each strut has the uniform         shape and less bended portions than the prior art and thus the         present invention is simple in structure and easy for         production.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific preferred embodiments thereof, it is no way limited to the details of the illustrated structures but changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A rack comprising: a plurality of U-shaped struts, each of which has two connecting bars and two U-shaped bars spaced from each other, each of said U-shaped bars having a bottom section and two lateral sections extending from two ends of said bottom section, each of said connecting bars being connected between two respective adjacent ends of said two U-shaped bars, said U-shaped struts being arranged in at least two pairs, said bottom sections of one U-shaped strut being adjacent to those of the other strut in each pair of said U-shaped struts; wherein first and second pairs of said U-shaped struts are vertically arranged, and said bottom sections of one pair of said struts are crossed with and arranged outside those of the other pair of said struts, whereby a plurality of receiving spaces are formed.
 2. The rack as defined in claim 1, wherein said bottom sections of said first pair of said struts are horizontally located.
 3. The rack as defined in claim 2, wherein said bottom sections of said first pair of said struts are located outside those of the second pair of said struts.
 4. The rack as defined in claim 2, wherein said bottom sections of said second pair of said struts are located outside those of the first pair of said struts.
 5. The rack as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said receiving spaces is formed and defined by said lateral section and a part of said bottom section of one of said U-shaped bars and those of another U-shaped bar.
 6. The rack as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said U-shaped struts further comprises two respective hook-shaped portions, each of which is formed of said connecting bar and said two lateral sections bending toward each other for a predetermined length. 